I mean the flying type. My children for another big zero birthday brought me a Mavic Pro Drone. I have no idea why? I have my suspicions it was the boys’ idea, hoping that I would take footage of them surfing.

The daughter I think understood the reality of a boy’s love of toys.

As someone who hunts deer for our fridge, my wife suggested I could find them by air and then drive to them, saving me time and energy. I didn’t have the heart to tell her that that kind of defeats the purpose.

Leaving those uses aside, I have to say it is just a lot of fun and offers me the opportunity to take all kinds of interesting photos.

Interestingly, no one suggested that the drone would teach me things about life and I certainly wasn’t expecting it.

Let me explain.

Firstly, reading the instruction manual was pretty helpful. A bit like reading the Bible which is God’s instruction book for life.

I learnt very quickly that you ignore the instructions to the drone’s peril, not to mention the peril of observers when I tried to fly it indoors.

Thankfully, it crashed with little damage but I won’t do that again.

I can’t tell you how many times I have ignored God’s instruction with the same response, “I won’t do that again”.

Secondly, I have found the fellowship of other “droners” (ie. technical term for those who fly drones) on YouTube really helpful as well. It was discouragingly good to be told by them to not try flying your drone indoors. I wish I had listened to them earlier.

It is a bit like having the fellowship of other Christians who in the journey of life have learnt wisdom by their mistakes and can pass that wisdom on to you so you can avoid the same mistakes.

The longer I live, the more I wish I had learnt the wisdom of others before putting my foot wrong.

Thirdly, knowing your drone is all important and this is where it gets really interesting. A drone can travel great distances and at high altitudes but they function by batteries which last about 23 minutes.

The camera is a real buzz and you can become so preoccupied with taking your pictures you neglect the drone.

The hand control makes warning noises when the battery is low and if you ignore the signs and don’t have it return home, an empty battery will crash your drone.

Actually, the batteries don’t crash your drone, the inattentive controller does. It is a lot like life really. With the capacity to travel great distances and soar to great heights, you can become so preoccupied by what is good that you neglect what is best.

You can be at the controls and ignore the warnings, overwork things, neglect responsibilities, fail to take time to recharge and it is little surprise when such people fall in a heap somewhere.

Fourthly, there are rules for drones.

Don’t you hate rules! 

Why can’t we let the drone just fly wherever they want and be free? Why can’t we fly them around airports for example?

Why can’t we fly them in crowded shopping centres?

You would think the answers are obvious like the warning on the chainsaw that says do not stop chain with hand.

I am amazed at the stupidity of people when they fail to realise that rules are made for the protection of people and relationships.

God provides rules in His instruction manual for life, the fellowship of wisdom from those who have already suffered the results of ignoring the rules and the observation that when you ignore the rules, you suffer and things crash.

I really appreciate the gift of a drone, but it has taught me to appreciate even more my God, my church, myself and of course others.

To crash your drone is costly but not near as expensive as crashing your life.

It’s worth letting God take the controls.

Read more Faith Matters:

We all face the judgement of God

We need the faith of Job in this time of drought

A gift suitable for the whole world

Trust the cook and creator